In industries such as the concrete, building block, precast brick making and others there is a need for reasonably precise dry volumetric measure of various components used in the manufacture of the products of the industry. The most commonly employed means of volumetric dry measure in use today, is a system in which the raw materials drop from a hopper through an orifice of known dimensions onto a moving endless belt. This belt is moving at a predetermined rate of speed. By counting the revolutions of the belt at the particular speed of the belt, or by determining the time of running of the belt and given the orifice opening size, one can calculate the volume of material being delivered from the belt. Typical units of these types are manufactured in Germany, and the United States, and one is shown in the prior art FIG. 8.
While considered state-of-the-art, such devices are quite costly and are therefore not available to most smaller manufacturers. There is a need therefore for a low cost precise means for making dry volumetric measurements.
It is an object therefore to provide a new apparatus for the measurement volumetrically of dry free flowing materials.
It is another object to provide a dry volumetric measuring apparatus that can be moved from location to location at the facility where it is employed.
It is a further object to provide a volumetric measuring apparatus that is relatively low in cost of purchase and cost of maintenance, yet is precise in its measurements.
A still further object is to provide a measuring apparatus which employs a refillable rotating table from which a known quantity of material can be transferred to a material receiver.
An additional object is to provide a dry measure apparatus that employs either a rotary plate with a fixed housing or a rotating housing with a fixed base plate.
Yet another object is to provide a dry measuring apparatus that is easy to operate, and has few moving parts.
Other objects of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.
The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing the features properties and the relation of components which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure and the scope of the application of which will be indicated in the appended claims.
For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention reference should be made to the following detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.